In many rice producing countries of the world, including in Vietnam, various research aimed at using rice husk ash (RHA) as a finely dispersed active mineral additive in cements, concrete and mortars are being conducted. The effect of the duration of the mechanoactivation of the RHA, produced under laboratory conditions in Vietnam, on its pozzolanic activity were investigated in this study. The composition of ash was investigated by laser granulometry and the values of indicators characterizing the dispersion of its particles before and after mechanical activation were established. The content of soluble amorphous silicon oxide in rice husk ash samples was determined by photocolorimetric analysis. The pizzolanic activity of the RHA, fly ash and the silica fume was also compared according to the method of absorption of the solution of the active mineral additive. It is established that the duration of the mechanical activation of rice husk ash by grinding in a vibratory mill is optimal for increasing its pozzolanic activity, since it simultaneously results in the production of the most dispersed ash particles with the highest specific surface area and maximum solubility of the amorphous silica contained in it. Longer grinding does not lead to further reduction in the size of ash particles, which can be explained by their aggregation, and also reduces the solubility of amorphous silica in an aqueous alkaline medium.
Simultaneous effects of rice husk silica and silicon carbide whiskers on the mechanical properties and morphology of sodium geopolymer